


Hung out to Dry

by swirlycloud



Category: Free!
Genre: Gen, Haruka thinks too much, I love Gou, M/M, Makoto is an angel as always, Nagisa is too kind, Nitori is the cutest duckling, Rei is a dumbass, Rin misses his Iwatobi peeps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-27
Updated: 2016-09-27
Packaged: 2018-08-17 13:44:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8146192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swirlycloud/pseuds/swirlycloud
Summary: What went on during the last two days of Training Camp of Hell. Post- Ep 6 of Season 1.





	

**Author's Note:**

> For MakoHaru week, Day 7: Free Day  
> makoharuweek2016.tumblr.com
> 
> Mostly HaruMakos, fluffy NagiReis, and a pinch of MakoRin if you squint. Gen, happy moments. Mostly.

The second night, they play amida again.

Haruka shares the tent with Makoto this time, and Nagisa, with Rei. Just as it should be. As it should have been, from the start.

They all say goodnight, and Rei becomes somber for just a moment, as he notices the quiet resolve in Haruka’s eyes. He slips into the tent with Nagisa, letting out a small sigh _. ‘Haruka-senpai will never let me live this down.’_

“What’s wrong, Rei-chan?”  

Rei glances up, eyebrows raised, and removes his thick red glasses, staring at them before placing them out of the way, onto the sheets. “It’s just… I couldn’t help but notice Haruka-senpai this evening. After we finished dinner with Amakata-sensei and Gou-san, Haruka-senpai got quiet. I think…he is still thinking…” Before he can finish, thunder rumbles in the distance.

“…Still thinking about last night, huh?” Nagisa finishes for him, with a glint of kindness in his bright maroon eyes. He tries very hard not to think about Rei nearly drowning…

His small smile takes silent effort.

“Y-Yes…” Rei blinks, already and always susceptible to Nagisa’s honest, probing gaze. Despite all the clamor and fun Nagisa surrounds the four of them with, with Makoto’s nurturing nature, his own naiveté, and Haruka’s coolness, sometimes it seems as if Nagisa is the most wise and perceptive of them all; and during Rei’s times of doubt, it is not something he can ever ignore. Nagisa is the start – the ignition of his own inner fire.

Nagisa leans over, with a bigger smile on his face. “Cheer up, Rei-chan! It’s over now. Haru-chan does tend to hold grudges, I think… But you are one of our friends, now. And Haru-chan _always_ cherishes his friends.”

‘ _Does he…?_ ’ Rei meets his gaze nervously. He quickly looks away when Makoto-senpai simply shuts down in the midst of the storm, when the waves finally capture Makoto-senpai and his consciousness, when the ocean nearly claims them both for its own, when he notices the minor tremors Nagisa had tried to hide from him after they’d exited the water; Rei breathes out suddenly, refusing to hold Nagisa’s questioning stare again.

“I still can’t believe Makoto-senpai tried to save me…” The quiet statement lingers in the air, leaving Nagisa to absorb his strewn thoughts. Then, there is a small, comforting hand on his shoulder. Rei finally accepts Nagisa’s earnestness and meets his eyes with a small sense of relief.

“…Thank you, Nagisa-kun.” Thunder follows his statement one last time; the storm that has appeared over the ocean for the second night in a row begins to quiet down.

“Let’s sleep, Rei-chan.” And with those words, all negative thoughts are erased from his friend’s mind. They share the tent in relative quiet, with Rei being the first to succumb to the night.

_‘Rei-chan and Mako-chan are very similar…always thinking of others before themselves…’_

Nagisa falls asleep, reassuring himself quietly. They are all where they are supposed to be; everything will be fine.

 

* * *

 

Twenty minutes,

—But it seems like only two. It must be the way Makoto sleeps – it must be how he captures the attention of the one staring down at him – and it makes Haruka feel like he has only been gazing for a second – because it’s not enough to simply _stare_ at Makoto. Makoto is art. Precious, delicate – but sturdy – yet a very flexible kind of art. A sculpture? Definitely not. A painting? Too fixed. A drawing, too plain.

Ah.

A photograph.

How Haruka wishes he had carried his cell phone with him on the trip… forgetting it has become a habit which Makoto no longer bothers to fuss over him about. So, it is Makoto’s fault that Haruka does not have his cell phone here to capture the actual live moment in front of him. No…it wouldn’t have done any good. His cell phone has a shitty camera, and it would only disgrace the art it would attempt to produce. Pfft. In which universe is the canvas responsible for an artist’s failure to paint? In Makoto’s case, it would be this very universe, every time. Makoto is art that cannot be captured. So actually, it is the phone’s fault.

Haruka blinks owlishly.

Or is it his? For thinking that he’d actually need to take a photograph to remember something that he could see – has _been_ seeing, but not _really_ seeing – for as long as he could remember? Or is it that he has forgotten? The way Makoto’s shoulders softly rise after each silent breath. And the way that breath hitches during those moments he is in light sleep, right now, as if he is already dreaming of something fearful. There is a name that is quietly murmured from his lips. “Rei…”

No…Haruka is wrong. It is a new appreciation…that’s all. And Rei has now become a part of his falling art. _Haru’s_ art.

Deep blue eyes narrow. But…it is not Makoto’s fault that he dreams of what he fears. After all, Haruka feels like he is already in a dream. His fear is already beginning to play out in front of him…

He only wants Makoto to have comfort. He deserves nothing less. He is only an angel.

Slowly, Haruka places a hand on the shoulder facing him. It moves effortlessly in time with Makoto’s breath, and even if it is just his hand, for a few seconds, and it is _he_ who gets to initiate the move –Haruka feels as if the extremity no longer belongs to him. The sensation causes him to freeze temporarily, feeling only a sense of pure attachment, but to another entity. He does not feel himself, nor Makoto – but rather, he feels an embodiment of something he cannot express.

The moment ends when it seems as if Makoto is beginning to stir, and Haruka finds it to remove his hand easily now, not wanting to disturb his slumber; Makoto would end up worrying about him, when it should be the other way around.

_‘You are always there. You speak for me, read into my mind, and listen when I do speak. I see you cherish those moments when I do express myself freely, and I feel uncomfortable that you are okay with only just that much._

_‘Or…can you really read my mind?_ ‘

“Do you know what I think, every time I see your eyes light up?”

_‘Do you know?…’_

Haruka is unaware of the exact expression on his face. If Makoto could see it, he would probably describe it as tender, bittersweet, overwhelmed, and a little disoriented.

He gives one last glance in the direction of Nagisa and Rei’s tent, hoping the two are fast asleep. After such a tiring day, they need their sleep…particularly Rei. Haruka had seen how Rei had grown quiet once Nagisa had insisted on playing amida once again, loudly expressing his intent to sleep with Makoto this night. Just like the night before, he’d gotten his way, but as Makoto was about to enter the other tent, Haruka had swiftly dragged him into his own, giving a brisk apology as well as a soft stare toward the blond, which had not gone unnoticed by his companion.

Deep, sea-blue eyes make their way back to Makoto once again. Quietly, Haruka exhales and lies down on the sheet. The pillow feels rough against the feather-softness in his mind, and he falls asleep, facing a sleeping angel.

 —-

“ _REI!_ ”

The cry echoes, penetrating Haruka’s peaceful dream. He sits up, alert, and Nagisa is awake beside him. Without any words, they check on Rei and Makoto’s tent.

Gone.

Suddenly, the tent fills with cool ocean water, and its rising depths demand sacrifice. The surging waves thrash them about, calling for Makoto. For someone who hates water, he shouldn’t be allowed to swim in it. For someone who doesn’t accept the water and only runs away from it, he doesn’t deserve to feel it.

The tents disappear, and neither Rei nor Nagisa are in sight. But Makoto is dragged further underneath. He sinks, sinks…and no matter how fast Haruka swims, he is a fish that is also subject to the water; no matter how much he accepts its presence, he cannot control it. ‘ _Why can’t I reach him?’_

Fear grips his heart, and he rages through the deepening, murky depths, desperately determined to catch Makoto’s hand. Finally, he gets close enough, but before he can grasp him, the water disappears, and they have both fallen atop the wet, sandy shore of Sukishima. Haruka is utterly exhausted, and seeing Makoto beside him, finally within arm’s reach, turns his body into a quivering mess.

The noise around them intensifies while he waits for Makoto to open his eyes, to get up and hold his right arm tenderly, complaining about how carelessly Haruka had just let him fall onto the beach.

But he doesn’t. Makoto just lies there. The absolute stillness causes something to snap inside Haruka, and panic begins to reach at his throat. ‘ _Why isn’t he saying anything…?’_

Haruka hovers over him and grabs his shoulders, commanding him to wake up, to get a hold of himself. With each shake, he imagines Makoto waking up, telling Haruka to stop, and that he is heavy – but with each shake, Makoto remains unresponsive.

For once, Haruka is getting absolutely nothing from Makoto. The one who usually talks the most, has something or the other to say… or at least, will speak for Haruka. But, now…there is no once to voice Haruka’s thoughts but himself.

It’s as if Makoto isn’t even there. It’s as if _he’s_ not there.

The thought sends ice cold chills down his spine, and Haruka is at a loss. He stares at Makoto’s eyes, nose, then lips. The way the moonlight falls on his face is haunting, and the sound of the crashing waves behind them seems to disappear.

But then Rin’s voice enters his mind – “What are you doing, idiot?! Are you just going to give up so easily?” There is a pang in Haruka’s chest. If there is anyone Haruka envies the most right now, it is Rin. He seems to always know what to do. ‘ _What would Rin do?’_

Haruka looks around. No one is there. With a small surge of hope, Haruka immediately places his ear against Makoto’s chest, listening for a heartbeat.  His eyes widen, his hands freeze in the drenched sand, and his whole body tenses up in absolute fear.

There is none.

No air, there’s no air—

—-

_“..!!!”_

All is quiet, and the only noises that can be heard are the gentle crashes of the waves and the wind ruffling the waterproof fabric of the tent.

But Haru wakes with hard gasps, as if each breath he takes will make up for the all the ones Makoto had lost. A few hot tears reach the bottom of his chin, and he wipes them away furiously.

Immediately he turns to face Makoto, who is lying beneath him, on his stomach. Alive.

The gasps come fewer now, and the nightmare begins to fade from his mind.

“…Haru?” A sleepy voice nips away at his fear, and Haru exhales forcefully just a few more times, this time from utter relief. He sits up, not fully aware he had been lying atop his friend.

“What is it…Makoto…?”

Haruka’s voice wakes him up, and he lifts his head a bit from the rough pillow, having felt his back become lighter than a few seconds ago. “Did you have a bad dream?” he mumbles through closed eyes.

“No.”

Still not fully in the present, dozens of thoughts flood Haruka’s mind.

What if Makoto had not always been vocal? What if Makoto was quiet, without words, like him?

Haruka would not have heard his voice shout for Rei.

Haruka would not have woken up. Nagisa would have remained asleep.

Rei would be dead.

Makoto would be dead.

“Y’sure?” Makoto’s voice interrupts once again.

—And Haruka would not be able to handle that.

“It’s fine. Go to sleep, Makoto.” Involuntarily, his hand finds its way atop Makoto’s head, and he grasps several of his shaggy locks, stroking them almost incessantly, not sure if the careless gesture is to reassure Makoto or himself.

Makoto is Makoto… and he is glad for that.

“…’Kay…” And the other falls quiet again, slumber ceasing any further questions.

Haruka spends the next thirty minutes locked in thought, unable to sleep. Then, sometime after, Makoto turns, and his arm falls over Haruka’s still frame, with an incoherent muttering, “Heavy…”

Haruka finally closes his eyes and gives a small, hopeless scowl. ‘ _Idiot. That’s my line…’_

It’s quiet again, and with the reassurance of Makoto’s touch, Haruka falls asleep a little more peacefully.

 

* * *

 

The morning sun shines its rays into the tents’ fabric, and all four boys are awake.

“Good morning!” Nagisa says brightly, with a tinge of sleepiness. Rei nods beside him with a smile, looking at both Makoto and Haruka.

“Good morning,” Makoto says, as well, fully awake. He stares at both Nagisa and Rei, feeling a wonderful surge of affection for the two. He is so glad they’re all here, having fun. Today is their third and last day of the training camp, and the experience he’s had so far has been unforgettable.

“Morning,” Haruka greets a little late, staring out at the ocean. He stands beside Makoto without another word.

“Okay, we should start stretching and pack up the tents while we wait for Gou-chan and Ama-chan-sensei,” Makoto states. “Then we’ll eat breakfast and go change.”

“Yes,” Rei and Haruka reply in unison.

“But it’s too earlyy, Mako-chan!” Nagisa begins to whine, then pauses for a minute. “…I know! Let’s build sandcastles,” he offers brightly.

“Nagisa~, we don’t have time for that. They’ll be here any minute,” Makoto chides with a cough.

Haruka stares out at the open sea, admiring the scattered reflection of the sun against the waves. “It’s still early,” he states passively, then stares up at Makoto.

“I’m with Makoto-senpai, we don’t have time for that, Nagisa-ku—”

Haruka inches toward the beach, and sits down square in the sand, poking it with apparent interest.

“YAAY!” Nagisa moves forward and joins him, squatting down and picking up a handful of sand. “Haru-chan, you can be in charge of bringing the water.”

Rei folds his arms, and points out, “That’s not necessary, Nagisa-kun. The sand is already damp enough from yesterday’s rain—”

“Yes!” Haruka replies obediently, his eyes shining sincerely at Nagisa’s suggestion. He abruptly stands up, strips, and begins walking toward ocean determinedly. Of course, he is wearing his swim suit already.

“H-haru…” Makoto plants his palm against his forehead.  Had he been wearing that all night…? “That’s not good for your skin, you know…”

Rei looks over his shoulder, noting the lack of any human presence from behind, and turns to Makoto, who does the same.

“Hah… I guess we do have some time,” the taller of the two says in defeat. He glances at his orange watch and stops. “Oh, I had this on me the whole time…”

With that, Rei quickly heads over to Nagisa with barely concealed glee, then stares down at him with distaste. “What are you making?”

This causes Nagisa to pout. “Like I saaaiid, I’m making a _sand castle_!”

Rei pouts, in turn. “That doesn’t look like a sand castle to me…”

“That’s because I just started, Rei. Chan!” His blond wavy locks bounce with each syllable.

“Stop with the ‘chan’, please…”

“See? Haru-chan’s bringing the water. Then it’ll look better.”

When Haruka approaches, he is holding water in his hands. “Here.” His voice is intense, and Rei and Nagisa both look up.

“…”

“That’s not enough water, Haru-chan!”

Haruka feels him burrow his head into his back, and he stumbles forward with the tiny force.  “Nagisa—!” The water spills right out of his hands at the contact, and he bends down, watching it disappear into the sand.

Rei bends down, as well. Then, both he and Nagisa turn to stare at their senior.

“MORE WATER!” they shout with need.

“…Yes.” Haru squints, and looks at his hands. He’s going to need a bucket. “Ah.” Makoto would have the hands to do it. The thought strikes him, and as he turns around, smashes right into him.

Speak of the angel.

“Ah, Haru?” he says, looking down at the other.

Haruka’s face is intense once again. “Come.” And with that, Makoto follows him to the shore, where Haru instructs him to bend down and scoop up water with his hands.

“Ah, but will this be enough?”

“It’ll do.”

Back near the tents, Nagisa laughs.

“Will Makoto-senpai be alright?”

“He won’t be if he spills the water like Haru-chan did.”

“But Nagisa-kun, wasn’t it you who made him—”

“Ha-ha! Look, they’re already on their way back.”

Rei stares at him, ignoring his diversion. “Anyway, you can’t make a sand castle like this!” He pushes his glasses upward, closing his eyes for effect. “What you need to do is consider the most efficient and stable shapes for the castle’s design. Like, instead of making so many round, flat circles, you should consider the ratio of cylindrical shapes to—”

“Water.”

“Sorry?” Rei turns, surprised.

“We brought the water,” Makoto clarifies for Haruka, and smiles. The two of them extend their hands outward, and Nagisa motions for Haruka to come on his side and to pour the water in the questionable dug-out moat surrounding the equally questionable-looking castle.

“Here,” Nagisa mutters and points, then cups his chin in his hand. The morning sun feels hotter on his cheeks today than yesterday.

“As expected, we really need more water...” Rei utters with resignation.

“Mako-chan, come and pour your water over here, too,” Nagisa instructs, but Makoto is standing a few steps ahead, and doesn’t pay attention.

Rin is jogging along the sidewalk near the beach entrance as Makoto watches quietly. But Rin catches his stare, and slows down; then, he increases his speed, ignoring the four boys, and soon disappears around the corner of the lodge across from them. Yet Makoto can’t look away.

 _‘Why isn’t he with us?’_ he wonders wordlessly, spirits sinking low.

It isn’t fair. This is something Rin would enjoy…or would have. He’s not supposed to be at Samezuka, distant and detached. He should be here, with Makoto and the others.

 _‘Why didn’t you tell us earlier?’_ he remembers asking Rin, heartbroken, after the carefree announcement that he would already be leaving for Australia. ‘ _Aren’t we friends?’_

Rin had no right leaving like that…and then coming back, without even saying anything. How _could_ he?

“Makoto.”

He turns, startled, to find Haruka staring up at him. “Yes…?”

“What is it?” Haruka asks straightforwardly, glancing in the direction that Makoto had been facing.

“A-ah, nothing!” Makoto asserts, and brings his hand up behind his head, in the process remembering the saltwater he’d been holding, just as it falls all over himself. “AH!” He takes a few steps back, and accidentally enters the castle’s moat, losing his footing against the wet, slippery sand; he falls backward, but Rei stands up quickly, catching him in his arms.

Rei, not struggling with the heavy weight, asks with concern, “Makoto-senpai, are you alright?”

Makoto balances himself as Rei releases him, and begins to laugh awkwardly, offering a shaky, “Yeah.” He doesn’t want to let Haruka know he’d seen Rin or had been thinking about him; he knows what Rin does to him...and the last thing Makoto wants is for Haruka to brood over their now close, yet distant friend…

Beside him, Haruka spares him a quiet, concerned glance, then looks at Nagisa, who is sprawled over the ruined castle and moat.

“Noo-oh~! Mako-chan, you ruined iiit...”

“Nagisa-kun, you are ruining it more…”

Makoto looks apologetic. “Sorry…” He sits down, and tries to build it back up, but the sand just slips right through his hands. He becomes mildly flustered, and he looks pathetically to Rei for help.

Rei brightens up, and grins. “Leave it to me, Makoto-senpai!”

From the corner of his eye, Nagisa notes the sparkle in Rei’s eyes, and the tension from Makoto’s body disappear. He smiles. When he notices Haruka looking their way, he smiles up at him, too, to which the other simply averts his gaze.

“Gu~ys!”

“Gou-chan!”

“Ah, Gou!”

“Amakata-sensei!”

“Good morning.”

“Hello, everyone!” Miho greets the boys.

Standing beside her, she and Gou both raise their arms in front of them pointedly. “Who’s ready for some breakfast?”

“And after that, straight to work!” Gou inserts.

“Wrong, Gou-san. Logically, it’s not healthy or safe to go straight to training right after eating a meal.”

“Always the downer, Ryugazaki-kun...”

Haru turns to his junior. “Don’t worry, Rei. We can finish the castle before that.”

“Haru’s right.” Makoto places a hand on his hip freely. “And we can make a better one this time.”

“Did that even count as a castle…?” Nagisa pouts, crossing his arms.

“Castle? Sand castle?” exclaims Gou excitedly.

“Yes!” Nagisa answers.

She moves closer to everyone. “I’ll help, too.”

Makoto and Haruka exchange contented glances as everyone enjoys the morning mood. They all eat their food, clean up, but they’ve wasted enough time already, and so the boys set off for the last day of training.

 

 

As they complete their first kilometer to Sukishima, Makoto notices Haruka become preoccupied.

“…Haru?” he questions, then is greeted with a distracted stare. “Is something wrong?”

“Nothing.”

Standard reply. Makoto’s eyes linger on Haruka for just a little longer before he turns around to check on Rei.

“Rei-chan, you’ve already caught up with us!”

“See, we’ll finish the circuit in no time.” Makoto smiles heartily, then faces forward again, nearly bumping into Haruka. “Gah!” Frightened, he takes in a few quick deep breaths, relaxing his brows into their natural state. He then resumes his swimming, passing his friend. “You’re slow, today, Haru.”

“I’m not racing,” Haru says, as if that’s supposed to mean something.

“We can see that, Haru-chan.” Nagisa speeds up a little to match Haruka’s now increasing pace, leaving Rei and Makoto behind with a cheeky grin.

“Wait for me, Nagisa-kun!” Rei shouts, splashing faster from his kickboard. He passes Makoto easily, and tries unsuccessfully to catch up to Nagisa, who has already passed Haruka.

“Try and get me!” The blond sticks out his tongue, swimming backwards and grinning wide.

Rei feels a spark, and keeps on kicking, with Makoto right behind, laughing happily.

 _‘I’m so glad…we’re all having such a fun time._ _And our stamina will definitely have improved after this!_ ’ Makoto’s gaze soon finds its way to Haruka, who had raced ahead earlier and is now swimming backward alongside Nagisa. Haruka is looking right at Makoto.

It startles him for a second, and he has to look away, temporarily using Rei to keep his gaze on. It’s not unlike Haruka to initiate random eye contact, nevertheless Makoto is caught by surprise, and the feeling gives rise to a burning in his cheeks.

A coughing voice sends an alert. “Mako-chan, too slow!”

“Yes, yes…” He laughs it off, not really increasing his pace, wanting to keep a certain distance between himself and Haruka. He looks down into the clear water quietly, preoccupied, and then continues his pace, keeping an eye still on Rei every now and then.

 

* * *

 

_‘Damn, he noticed me staring… Or was it he who was staring?’_

Rin pulls off his shirt and throws it onto the bed. He reaches for the water bottle on the table. It’s not cold. It doesn’t matter… He gulps half of it down, then wipes his upper lip.

Aiichiro enters the room minutes later, looking refreshed, with a towel wrapped around his neck. “Good morning, Matsuoka-senpai!” He says with a bright smile.

Rin spares a glance towards his direction. “Yeah. Good morning.” He sits down at the edge of his bed, resting his chin atop the back of his hands. Haru was…building a sandcastle? With Nagisa. On the beach…

Geez, and he thought they’d come to train, as Gou had mentioned.

“Did you go running, Matsuoka-senpai?”

But Makoto had been staring out, away from them – as if preoccupied with something else. Rin’s eyes widen slightly. Because he’d seen _him_. “Yeah.” But why would Makoto care? He’s always been by Haruka’s side, with Nagisa, too… ‘ _No wonder Haru hasn’t been advancing.’_ He’s doing nothing but having fun, hanging out with his friends.

 _‘Friends who don’t even take their swimming seriously…’_ Sosuke briefly flashes through his mind. No…he can’t be thinking like _him_. He and Sosuke were similar, but… He shakes his head. Why is he even thinking about all of them, anyway?

He has other important things to do… like finally defeating Haru, and moving on with his life. “Tch.”  Shifting his head to the side, he massages the back of his neck in annoyance, and catches Aiichiro staring at him curiously. “What is it? Nitori.”

_‘Makoto shouldn’t even be here… What is Haru thinking, bringing them all to the fucking ocean?’_

“Ah, I was wondering…would you like to practice together this evening?” He smiles warmly, which is a dazzling complement with the sparkle in his light blue eyes from the sunlight flowing through the window. “I just finished some practice with Mikoshi—”

“No,” Rin cuts off abruptly, not wanting Aiichiro to interrupt his reminiscing. These memories, and these thoughts…are personal. It’s not for anyone else to bother with. Not Nitori, not his team… not Makoto. Catching a glimpse of the disappointment on his roommate’s face, he adds, “Maybe tomorrow.”

Aiichiro doesn’t have the heart to remind his distracted senpai that today is the last day they’ll be on the island. He nods, and sits on his own bed, pulling out a pink-colored book from the stack he’d brought with him that sits on his bedside table.

Rin’s eyes narrow again as Makoto’s worried gaze appears in front of him. ‘ _Why can’t he just think about himself for once…’_

 

* * *

 

The splashes are not as fast and lively as before, and everyone is beginning to wear out. Everyone besides Nagisa, that is.

“Aachoo!” A sneeze marks his gradual deceleration in the water.

Haruka ignores the sneeze, sensing Makoto follow up behind him to take care of it.

“Nagisa, are you getting tired?”

“Ahh…” The blond adjusts the goggles over his eyes better, and proceeds forward. “Nope!”

Makoto exchanges glances with Haruka, and then looks back at his junior. “Okay.”

Soon, it is Rei who is in the lead, and he taunts haughtily to Nagisa to try and catch up to him, now.

“But Rei-chan…I’m getting tirreeed~”

Rei stops kicking, clutching his kickboard tightly. “You just said you weren’t tired!” he exclaims, mildly offended.

“Ahah, it was a lie.” Nagisa does a small grin, letting his face fall beneath the water’s surface once more, slowing his pace further.

“Nagisa-kun…”

The main island is just a little further away. “Come on, everyone! This is the last leg,” Makoto encourages wearily, purposefully lagging behind, keeping an eye on everyone from the back. He sees Rei begin to show signs of exhaustion, and Haruka slows down as well, seeking to match Rei’s pace.

“You’re doing well, Rei.”

Rei’s eyes light up and a light blush sprinkles his cheeks. “T-thank you, Haruka-senpai!”

“Now keep swimming.”

“Rei-cha… so far away…” Nagisa wails from behind, catching Makoto’s attention.

“Oi, Nagisa…are you sure you can keep up?” the older boy asks with concern.

“Aachoo!”

Makoto stops as the other does, both with their feet on the ground. He reaches his arms forward, and Nagisa slumps back into them, unaware of their presence until he is tilting his head backwards, looking upside down into Makoto’s kind gaze. “I need a cup of hot chocolate…”

Makoto raises his eyebrows as he meets the boy’s eyes. “I don’t think we have that on us…”

“I’ll get some.”

Both turn to Haruka. “Huh?”

“The lodge should have some.” His expression is warm, and relaxed.

With a softening look, Makoto smiles, causing Haruka to avert his eyes and face the shore to complete the last hundred meters of the swim without another word.

“Come on, Nagisa! Almost there.”

“Nagisa-kun, I was supposed to be chasing you!”

Another sneeze. “It’s my turn to chase you, Rei-chan.”

Smirking inwardly, Haruka swims on, and reaches the shore within the following two minutes, with Rei joining him soon afterward. Several minutes behind, Nagisa and Makoto finally finish the course.

“You didn’t have to wait for me, Mako-chan,” Nagisa comments, looking pointedly at the taller of the two.

Makoto dismisses him with a knowing expression as he exits the water completely. They all stand in a circle, and Makoto looks down at them all, feeling another surge of happiness. “Aah, we did it!” And with that, he flops back onto the sand, stretching his arms out, ready to take a nap. “I’m so tired…”

Haruka walks over to Makoto, and kicks him lightly at his side. “Don’t sleep here.”

“Me too…” Nagisa flops down, as well, using Makoto’s outstretched forearm as a cushion for the back of his neck. “Goodnight…”

Rei squints, and he pulls off his cap and goggles, tossing them to the side. “Me as well.” And he lies down, too, right beside Nagisa. The sand is warm and dry; it’s a nice sensation after being in the much cooler water all day.

“…” Haruka simply stares down at the three of them with a straight face. ‘ _Are they sleeping already…?’_ “Weak.”

“Hahaha!” Makoto scrunches his eyes as the setting sun douses him in a golden orange. He tries to hide his chuckles behind a disappointed voice.“Don’t say that, Haaru…” He puts his arms out in the air, blocking the sun from behind Haruka.

Haruka stands there, mulling over an appropriate response before settling for, “…Hm.” And with that, he finds his spot by Makoto’s other side, enjoying the warm sand with his friends.

Some minutes after the boys lay against the shining sand, Gou’s voice spills into the evening. “Good job, everyone!”

“Gou. Nagisa needs some hot chocolate.”

“Ehh?” She raises her eyebrows and places her hands at her hips. “Why _?_ And that’s no way to greet your manager, you know.”

Makoto turns his head, and his hair hangs over his eyes. “Haru…I thought you were going to go get it…”

“I changed my mind,” he answers pretentiously.

“Pfft…” And Haru thought _he_ was wishy-washy.

“But, Nagisa-kun is sleeping,” Gou says, leaning over him. “And…so is Rei-kun!” She puts her hand on her forehead. “You all need to eat something, after your long day of training! Right, Makoto-senpai— _eh?_ ” She brings her arms down at her side. “Makoto-senpai is sleeping, too…”   

“They’ve had a long day, Gou-san.” Miho smiles, standing behind the redheaded student. “We can wake them up in a little bit.”

Gou feels a smile warming her cheeks as she looks over her team. “Sounds like a good idea.”

**Author's Note:**

> So I actually wrote this ages ago, but I decided to beta it up!! And post it here for MakoHaru week. This week has been a blessing for me, and Korrasami week was also during the same time... ;__;  
> Anyway, hope you enjoyed! Feel free to comment below or leave me a message at kjosi.tumblr.com/ask


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